Buoyed by the considerable fall in the daily Covid cases across Karnataka in the past few days, the state government on Thursday ordered the resumption of non-Covid treatments in all government hospitals that were converted as Covid hospitals. The government has also directed that no person suffering from non-covid ailments shall be diverted to private hospitals citing the Covid-19 situation.
In a circular to all the DHOs and District Surgeons, Dr KV Trilok Chandra, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare directed that the hospitals shall revert to the treatment of Covid cases if the daily dose of Covid cases shoot up considerably and all personnel and facilities shall be kept ready at all times for such emergency. Hospitals have been told to maintain separate arrangements or facilities for diagnosis and treatment of Covid and non-covid patients including OPD, lab, radiology, discharge and counselling.
Dr Ramesh Krishna K, Medical Superintendent, Victoria Hospital, told DH, "All non-Covid services including OPDs, wards, ICUs and Emergency Operation Theatres have resumed functioning at Victoria Hospital from Thursday. Elective Operatives will also resume soon, as we are awaiting fungal culture reports of OTs."
The government's decision comes in the wake of a sense of nervousness pervading the public that several non-Covid ailment treatment facilities have taken a back seat due to the pandemic. As per the order, all facilities ranging from Primary Health Care Centres to District Hospitals and Medical College Hospitals shall ensure treatment of non-covid cases with immediate effect.
However, the department has also sounded caution while pointing to rising incidents of Covid infection in the neighbouring states. "Retain Covid treatment facilities at an optimal level until further notification while being cautious about the sudden rise in cases of neighbouring states," the circular said.
(Published 22 July 2021, 18:00 IST)
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